A Whole New World
by Walk-on Plaid
Summary: Charlotte's world is suddenly turned upside-down when an owl delivers a letter accepting her to Hogwarts. But what IS Hogwarts? Charlotte is introduced to magic all around her that she never noticed before, and much more. It's a whole new world!
1. The Sound of Silence

A/N- This is my first try at Fanfiction, thanks to Jaclyn(SftBllRdng), and I'm trying to make this better as I go along. I hope you'll enjoy it!  
  
---  
  
"Hello darkness, my old friend,  
I've come to talk with you again,  
Because a vision softly creeping,  
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,  
And the vision that was planted in my brain,  
Still remains  
Within the sound of silence."  
  
"Honestly, Charlotte, I don't understand how anybody could ever listen to this stuff!"  
  
In the upstairs bedroom sat two girls at the age of eleven. The music coming from the stereo was one of the girl's favorite songs. Her name was Charlotte, and as her friend, Deanna, went on with her complaints, she tuned the insults out and let the music surround her thoughts. Her birthday was just yesterday, and her new CD was all she wanted to listen to.  
  
"Hello, are you awake, Charlie?" Deanna nagged.  
  
As if on que, Charlotte snapped out of her daydream. With a fast glare, she growled, "I thought you said you'd stop calling me that!"  
  
Deanna had a great grin upon her face. Charlotte could see one of her cavities, and could probably even count all of the teeth in her best friend's mouth if she wanted to; that was how large it was.  
  
"I thought it would catch your attention, and boy, was I right!" Deanna exclaimed.  
  
"Gee, thanks," Charlotte spoke with a hint of sarcasm, "But what's wrong with this music? I love this song!" she added.  
  
"Eh, it's ancient. Don't you want to listen to Linkin Park or Sum 41, or something? Why do you like this stuff so much?"  
  
"I don't know... but it's kind of like what my uncle says about wine, I guess."  
  
"And what the heck does that have to do with anything?"  
  
"Well, he says it like this: the older the wine, the better. You know, because people like to age wine and stuff. I guess that's why I like old music," Charlotte explained, "It's not like the kind of stuff we hear today, Deanna."  
  
Deanna let out a snort and gave a chuckle. "Well, whatever you say," she giggled.  
  
The song ended, and there was silence between the two for a minute. All of a sudden, the girls heard a tapping sound.  
  
"Err... Charlotte, you heard that, right?" Deanna asked.  
  
"Yeah. What was it?" Charlotte responded.  
  
The tapping sound came again. Both girls turned their heads in several directions, wondering where the sound kept coming from. Finally, it had been spotted.  
  
"Oh my goodness! Deanna, look! An owl!"  
  
To their surprise, a grey-spotted owl was hovering by the windowsill of Charlotte's bedroom, and was repeatedly tapping its beak against the glass. Clutched in it's mouth was a yellowish envelope. It looked like there was something written on it in emerald-green ink.  
  
"Why on earth is there a bird at my window?" Charlotte pondered. All she could do was stare at it. This, however, only made the owl rap at the glass harder and more urgently.  
  
"Jeez, Charlie, open the stupid window before that owl breaks it!" Deanna groaned.  
  
Charlotte shot Deanna a look of annoyance, and she shut up almost at once. Charlotte got on her feet, and strode over to the window. The owl backed away from the glass as she pushed the shutters open. A flash of grey feathers rushed past her ear, and left the same way.  
  
When Charlotte noticed the sudden disappearance, she led herself over to her bed, where she saw the envelope that was once in the owl's beak. As she read the front of it, her mouth opened wide, and her eyes would not stray from the letter.  
  
"D-Deanna..." she stammered, "It's g-got my name a-and address on it..."  
  
---  
  
A/N: How'd I do? So far, the only people who have read it... is only my brother. Thanks for reading; review if you feel like it! 


	2. The Letter

A/N: Thanks for reading my second chapter! I hope you'll enjoy it, and come back for more. I'm not too sure why Jaclyn was doing this, but I'll do the same: I own Charlotte and Deanna? That sounds awfully creepy, doesn't it... Well, anyway, now onto the second chapter! ---  
  
The letter had no stamp in the corner, but the green ink seemed to glisten as if it was still wet from being written. To support herself as she dared to open the envelope, Charlotte sat at the chair next to her desk, quivering slightly, but not sure why.  
  
"What's wrong with me? Why am I so nervous? It's just a stupid letter..." she thought.  
  
"Come on, Charlie; open it already!" Deanna urged.  
  
But what surprised Deanna was that Charlotte didn't snap at her for calling her "Charlie."  
  
Charlotte gulped and turned the letter over, and saw a wax seal.  
  
"It looks like a coat of arms," she thought.  
  
On the seal, pressed into the wax appeared to be a lion, a badger, a snake, and an eagle. They all surrounded a bold letter "H." Still too nervous, Charlotte flipped the envelope over again.  
  
"Is this really for me?" she asked herself.  
  
The only way to be sure was just to keep reading the address. Charlotte knew it said her name, but was still in disbelief. She had to check again.  
  
But the letter was addressed so obviously that it was plainly just for Charlotte. It even told exactly where her bedroom was! She ran her fingers nervously through her red hair and for the final time, she turned over the envelope, and pulled back the purple wax. She gasped as she read the words one-by-one.  
  
HOGWARTS SCHOOL  
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY  
~  
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE  
(order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf.  
Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International  
Confed. of Wizards)  
Dear Miss Talon,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely,  
Minerva McGonagall  
deputy headmistress  
~  
  
"Oh my gosh... Deanna, read this!" Charlotte cried, handing over the letter. A frustrated look took over her face as she sat back down at her desk. She pushed her glasses up further on her nose; they had slipped while she read the strange note.  
  
As Deanna was reading the letter, she looked puzzled; perhaps more than Charlotte.  
  
"What on earth is going on? This has got to be a joke!" she said.  
  
"I don't know," Charlotte responded, "but maybe we should ask my mom... she might know what this is about."  
  
With that being said, the girls left the bedroom and dashed down the stairs. With the envelope still grasped tightly in Charlotte's hand, she called for her mother.  
  
"Mom! Where are you? I just got something really strange!"  
  
"Hold on, I'm in the kitchen," her mother answered back.  
  
Charlotte, with Deanna behind her, turned the corner in the hallway to the kitchen entrance.  
  
"Mom, the strangest thing just happened. You see, it was really weird-- "  
  
"Dear, aren't these flowers gorgeous? I just returned from the florist," her mother interrupted.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, they're wonderful, Mom," Charlotte rushed, "But an owl! There was an owl at my window!"  
  
At first, her mother said nothing. Only a blank stare was upon her face, until she sighed.  
  
"Err, Mrs. Talon, are you alright?" Deanna asked.  
  
"Yes," she replied, "but this is so complicated. Charlotte, was the owl carrying a letter?"  
  
"Yeah," Charlotte answered, "and it flew into my room and dropped the envelope on my bed. It left as fast as it came."  
  
"May I see it?"  
  
"Sure," Charlotte said as she handed over the envelope.  
  
Mrs. Talon took hold of her daughter's letter and flipped it over to the opening. When she saw the purple seal, she cupped her hand over her mouth. With the letter still in the envelope, she carefully pulled back the flap, finally holding a piece of yellow parchment. Mrs. Talon read the letter twice, and placed it back in the envelope. Handing it back to Charlotte, she got up from her seat at the kitchen table.  
  
"It looks like we have some... things to discuss, honey." she said.  
  
"Why did I get this, and what the heck is Hogwarts? What do they mean, 'I've been accepted'?" Charlotte demanded.  
  
"Charlotte, please calm yourself," her mother asked, "Now, I know this must be very sudden, but your father and I didn't think something like this would happen."  
  
"What, get accepted to some crazy school I've never heard of?"  
  
"Dear, please don't blow this out of proportion. There's such a long story for you to hear. You see, your father--"  
  
"What about Dad?"  
  
"Well, you know about your father living in London as a child, Charlotte..."  
  
"Uh-huh." Charlotte responded.  
  
"Isn't that where the school is?" Deanna asked.  
  
"Exactly. But you have to know this: when your father moved to the United States, and we finally met, it was almost as if we instantly fell for each other." Mrs. Talon said, "When we decided to get married, he told me stories of when he was younger." she continued.  
  
"Yes? What else, Mom?" Charlotte asked.  
  
"Charlotte, your father did not go to an average school like the one you girls go to. He... attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he was trained to be... a wizard."  
  
"Wow..." Deanna sighed.  
  
"Are you serious? That's insane!" Charlotte exclaimed.  
  
"Both your father and I never expected for you to be eligible for Hogwarts. This is so unexpected, sweetheart. Your father believed you didn't show any signs of magic at birth, and so we thought nothing more of it," Mrs. Talon explained.  
  
"But with Dad out of town, how can I get more information? I'm still so confused..."  
  
"They're waiting for a response by July 31st. We have plenty of time. I'll give your father a call and get directions, and clear things up. Don't worry, Charlotte. Everything is fine. I promise."  
  
"Alright," sighed Charlotte, "Come on, Deanna. Let's go back upstairs."  
  
--- A/N: I've written about 6 other chapters so far, but they're all in my notebook and might take a while to get them all here. I hope you're all enjoying my story! I've worked really hard to write it! Deanna is like my best friend Kaitlin. It didn't start out that way, but that's how it ended up... I have so much more to write! Review if you feel like it!  
  
**Originally, Charlotte was supposed to be like me, but that was changed because the only thing we had in common was being stubborn and liking Simon and Garfunkel. Aren't we just awful losers? 


	3. I'll go

A/N: Welcome to Chapter 3! Keep coming back! I love you, readers! ---  
  
"I can't believe you're a witch, Charlie!" Deanna squealed.  
  
"It's completely crazy; you've got to admit it. And stop calling me that!" Charlotte replied.  
  
"But it's so cool! Are you going to go?"  
  
"I'm not sure yet... Mom called Dad last night, just like she said she would. She even let me talk to him."  
  
"How's he doing, anyway? Is Belgium nice?"  
  
"Yeah, he's okay. But he isn't really there for his article. He doesn't even do that much for the newspaper. As it turns out, he's really an Auror."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"It's an occupation for witches and wizards. They hunt down and catch other witches and wizards who've gone bad, before they can do worse."  
  
"Sounds interesting. Is that what he's doing there? Catching bad guys?"  
  
"Yeah. He also told me how proud he was. He can't wait until he gets back. We're going to go to this place called Diagon Alley."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"I'm not sure."  
  
"So, do you think you'll go to that school?"  
  
"I've been thinking about that a lot," Charlotte sighed.  
  
"I think it sounds fun. Guess you'll make a lot of new friends there," Deanna said.  
  
"None of them will be as good as you, though."  
  
"You mean it?"  
  
" 'Course I do. No one can replace my best friend."  
  
"So you're gonna go?"  
  
"It might be a challenge, but it's nothing I can't handle."  
  
"I know you can do it, Charlotte."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"You know, nobody can replace you either."  
  
Charlotte smiled widely, and got up from her seat on the floor.  
  
"Come on, I want to go see Mom for a minute."  
  
The two made their way out the door and down the stairs just as they had the day before. Waiting at the front door was Charlotte's mother.  
  
"Oh, hello, girls. I'm on my way to the bank. Do you two need anything before I go?" she asked.  
  
"Mom, I've decided," said Charlotte, "about Hogwarts."  
  
"What do you want to do?"  
  
Charlotte grinned as she said, "I'll go." 


	4. Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

A/N: How are you all enjoying this? It's taking me forever to type it all... But it's fun! I'm so glad people are finally getting to see my writing. Don't I feel special? Heehee... ---  
  
In the living room, Charlotte and her mother sat on the couch together, eagerly anticipating Mr. Talon's arrival. Today was when he would be getting back from Belgium, and his Auror mission. Charlotte, with a book at hand, could barely concentrate on the words, although it was her favorite book. The doorbell was what she was waiting for. Maybe even a knock on the door, or for it just to open.  
  
Suddenly, a loud cracking sound came from the doorway.  
  
"Mom, what was that?" asked Charlotte.  
  
"You'd be surprised, Charlotte." answered an all-too-familiar voice behind her.  
  
She turned her head, only for her eyes to greet her father's smiling face.  
  
"Daddy!" she cried.  
  
"Hello, my princess."  
  
"Dad, don't you think I'm getting too old for that nickname?" she asked as she squeezed his middle tight.  
  
"You really are growing up, dear." Mrs. Talon said.  
  
"You're absolutely right, Laura," he said, walking over to greet her with a kiss. "She's growing up beautifully. My daughter, a witch! Imagine that!" he added.  
  
"Frank, don't you have something for Charlotte?" Mrs. Talon asked.  
  
"A gift? This is great!" Charlotte cried.  
  
Mr. Talon walked over to the front door where he left his baggage. After unzipping the first suitcase, he returned to the living room carrying a think package wrapped in brown paper.  
  
"Something I picked up in a wizardry shop in Belgium," he said.  
  
"Thanks, Dad! What is it?" Charlotte asked.  
  
"There's only one way to see," said Mrs. Talon.  
  
"Go on, Charlotte, open it!" Mr. Talon urged.  
  
Charlotte tore off the brown paper and untied the string. Now in her hands, she held a thin, red leather-bound book. In large gold writing on the front cover, she read aloud, " 'Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them', by Newt Scamander."  
  
"I thought you might enjoy it," Mr. Talon said proudly.  
  
"Thank you, Dad! It's... great. Really, it is. Are these all magical beasts?"  
  
"There isn't any other kind in the book!"  
  
"I really like it."  
  
"I'm glad."  
  
"Hey, Dad... what was that cracking sound I heard when you came in? I didn't even hear the door open!"  
  
"Charlotte, it's a trick called Apparation."  
  
"What is that, Dad?"  
  
"Well," he said, "Apparation is... like when you're in one place, and then you imagine yourself in another. Suddenly, you're there!"  
  
"That's all I would have to do?" Charlotte asked. She quickly closed her eyes tightly and stood very still. After a few moments, she was still in her place, becoming confused.  
  
"Why won't it work, Dad?" she asked. "I did what you said. I'm a witch, so what's wrong?"  
  
"Well, apparation is... a lot more complicated than that. You'll learn to do it eventually. I'd say... either sixth or seventh year at Hogwarts." Mr. Talon said.  
  
"Oh... that's a long time..." said Charlotte. Sitting back down on the couch, she began to flip through the pages of, "Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them."  
  
"CHIZPURFLE  
M.O.M. classification: XX  
Chizpurfles are small parasites up to a  
twentieth of an inch high, crablike in  
appearance, with large fangs......."  
  
--- A/N: Another chapter done typing! I've still got to type Chapter 5, but I'm working on Chapter 6 in my notebook. Hopefully I'll post it soon! Happy New Year, everyone! 


	5. Portkeys and Lawn Gnomes

A/N: Chapter 5! Finally... there'll still be more to come, but not tonight... I have to finish chapter 6! I hope you're all enjoying my story, and I'll be introducing new characters very soon! ---  
  
"Charlotte, are you all packed?"  
  
"Yes, Mom!"  
  
"Then come downstairs with your things. Your father has a portkey waiting."  
  
"He has a what?"  
  
"He'll show you when you get down here!"  
  
"Okay, okay."  
  
Charlotte grabbed her backpack from the floor, and rushed out the door, wondering what a portkey could be. It seemed to her like ever since she recieved her acceptance letter to Hogwarts, things were completely different at home. She was constantly being introduced to new magical items and spells. Her father let his magic run wild, unafraid of shocking anyone in the household like he thought he might in the past. It was a whole new world.  
  
On her way down the stairs, she saw her father holding something that looked like... a lawn gnome? Is that what a portkey was?  
  
"Dad, why are you holding that thing?" she asked him.  
  
"You'll see, sweetpea. I think you might like it." he replied.  
  
With his index finger, Mr. Talon made a motion for Charlotte to come closer. She walked over with curiousity, waiting for what would happen next.  
  
"This," Mr. Talon explained, "Is a portkey."  
  
"Do all portkeys look like they belong in a garden?" she asked with a bewildered look on her face.  
  
With a hearty laugh, he responded, "No. They all look different. No two are alike. Now, the way a portkey works is by touching it with your hand. Just a finger will do. Then you would say where you want to go out loud."  
  
"Diagon Alley?" Charlotte asked.  
  
"Yes," he replied. "Now put your finger on the portkey. Are you ready?"  
  
"Uh-huh." Charlotte said, placing her index finger on the ceramic gnome's hat.  
  
"On my count, alright?" Mrs. Talon piped up.  
  
"Bye, Mom."  
  
"Bye, honey. Okay: one.... two... three!"  
  
"TO DIAGON ALLEY!"  
  
--- A/N: Thanks for reading! I'll try to finish chapter six soon. Thank you for any reviews that come up. I'm working hard! 


	6. Diagon Alley

A/N: Here's chapter 6! I'm almost done with 7, but I'm also supposed to be doing homework, so it might be a day or two until it's posted. Unless I finish it within the next 20 minutes...  
  
---  
  
The visions were incredible. Strange shops surrounded every corner, and all supplied different types of items. Charlotte had never seen anything so amazing. Her father led her around several streets. On the way, one particular shop had a large crowd around the front window.  
  
"Look! It's the Nimbus Two Thousand!"  
  
"They say it's the fastest model yet!"  
  
"Wow!"  
  
After getting a closer look, Charlotte realized it was a broom they were staring at. Wait... a broom?  
  
"Dad, why are those kids staring at a broomstick?" she asked.  
  
"They're ridden in a game called Quidditch. You'll learn to play in school." he replied.  
  
"Okay..." Charlotte muttered, still unsure why those kids were so fascinated by a broomstick.  
  
"Do you have your list of supplies with you, Charlotte?"  
  
"Yes, Dad."  
  
"Read it and then hand it to me. I want you to be aware of the things you need, too. In case I miss anything."  
  
"Sure, Dad."  
  
Charlotte dug through her pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment. After unfolding it, she sighed and began to read.  
  
HOGWARTS SCHOOL  
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY  
~  
  
UNIFORM First year students will require:  
1. Three sets of plain work robes(black)  
2. One plain pointed hat(black) for day wear  
3. One pair of protective gloves(dragonhide or similar)  
4. One winter cloak(black, silver fastenings)  
  
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry nametags  
  
COURSE BOOKS All students should have a copy of each of the following:  
"The Standard Book of Spells(Grade 1)"  
by Miranda Goshawk  
"A History of Magic" by Bathilda Bagshot  
"Magical Theory" by Adalbert Waffling  
"A Beginners' Guide to Tansfiguration" by Emeric Switch  
"One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi"  
by Phyllida Spore  
"Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger"  
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"  
by Newt Scamander  
"The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection"  
by Quentin Trimble  
  
OTHER EQUIPMENT  
1 wand  
1 cauldron(pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope  
1 set brass scales  
  
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad  
  
PARENTS ARE ALSO REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS  
ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS  
~  
  
"That's a lot of stuff!" Charlotte exclaimed. "Can we really get all of this here?"  
  
"That's why we came here in the first place!" Mr. Talon answered confidently.  
  
"How much is all this going to cost? Look at how much we have to get! Can we even afford it?" she asked.  
  
"Depends on how you get it. We can't do anything with our muggle money."  
  
"Muggle?"  
  
"Nonmagic people."  
  
"Like Mom?"  
  
"You got it."  
  
"So, what you're saying is, wizards have their own kind of money?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"Well, I don't have any."  
  
Mr. Talon chuckled. "I figured that," he said. "I need to stop there anyway, so it's off to Gringotts we go."  
  
"Gringotts?" Charlotte asked. "Is that the bank?"  
  
"Right again!" Mr. Talon responded.  
  
"Where is it?"  
  
"Just follow me, and we'll be there in no time at all."  
  
--- A/N: Another chapter finished! Chapter seven is almost done, and I'll be typing it sometime soon. Hope you're all enjoying "A Whole New World!" If you're looking for something new to read, why not check out, "Acceptance," by SftBllRdng? 


	7. First Stop: Gringotts

A/N: Chapter seven! Read and enjoy!  
  
---  
  
After turning several more corners and walking down long streets, Charlotte found herself facing a building as white as fresh snow that towered high above the other tiny shops. Waiting next to the large bronze doors stood a small creature with a clever-looking face and long fingers wearing a uniform of gold and scarlet. As Charlotte and her father came closer to the great doors, he bowed at them.  
  
"Dad, what was that?" Charlotte asked as they walked inside, only to find yet another pair of doors.  
  
"A goblin. Very smart beings, but not the most friendly you'll meet." he replied.  
  
As they came closer to the silver doors, Charlotte noticed something engraved on them.  
  
Enter, stranger, but take heed  
Of what awaits the sin of greed,  
For those who take, but do not earn,  
Must pay most dearly in their turn.  
So if you seek beneath our floors  
A treasure that was never yours,  
Thief, you have been warned, beware  
Of finding more than treasure there.  
  
Another two goblins bowed to them as they passed through the large silver doors, leading them to an enormous hall of marble. Standing in front of a particularly large counter stood an exceptionally tall man and a boy with messy jet-black hair.  
  
"Hey!" Mr. Talon suddenly called out. "Hagrid! Over here, old friend!"  
  
"You... know that guy?" Charlotte asked.  
  
"I attended Hogwarts with him for a little while. Imagine, seeing him here after all this time!" he responded.  
  
"Is that his son, Dad?" she questioned, pointing to the boy beside him.  
  
"I don't think Hagrid had any children..."  
  
Hagrid turned around, searching for the person who had called his name. The boy standing next to him turned around as well, and Charlotte noticed he had glasses. She wasn't paying much attention to anything, because her mind was on the fact that she had never seen a taller man than this "Hagrid." It was a little intimidating.  
  
"Over here, Rubeus! It's Frank Talon!"  
  
Hagrid looked straight ahead, his eyes meeting Mr. Talon's. He grinned widely and walked over. It looked like he was carrying a small brown-paper bag, which he quickly stuffed into one of his many coat pockets. The boy behind him quietly tagged along.  
  
"Great ter see yeh, Frank! Put 'er there!" Hagrid said, extending one of his very large hands out for Mr. Talon to shake.  
  
"It's been too long, Rubeus." Frank said.  
  
"Too long. And who's this 'ere young lady?"  
  
"My daughter, Charlotte. She recently got her Hogwarts acceptance letter."  
  
"Good afternoon, Charlotte. This 'ere is Harry. We've just made a withdrawal outta his account."  
  
"Hello," Harry sad.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Harry," Charlotte said with a smile.  
  
Harry smiled back, and that was when she noticed his forehead. A thin, lightning bolt-shaped scar could be seen on his pale face, though she said nothing about it.  
  
"Where did that scar come from?" she thought.  
  
"Wait one moment," Mr. Talon said. "Is this Harry Potter?"  
  
"That he is," Hagrid responded.  
  
Harry quickly covered his scar with his hand and bit his lip. Mr. Talon eagerly stuck out his arm for a handshake, which Harry reluctantly gave, or so Charlotte thought.  
  
"What's he covering his forehead for? And why did Dad make such a big deal out of his name?" she wondered.  
  
"Well, we got ter git goin' now. Gotta take Harry ter get his robes fitted." Hagrid said.  
  
"Yes, and we need to make our withdrawal as well. We still have to buy Charlotte's supplies," Mr. Talon replied.  
  
"Alrigh', then. C'mon, Harry. Nice ter see yeh, Frank," Hagrid said.  
  
"Bye," Harry said, looking at Charlotte.  
  
"See you in school," Charlotte replied.  
  
The two walked out of the silver doors at the end of the hall and disappeared into the streets of Diagon Alley.  
  
"Next," the goblin at the counter called out.  
  
"That's us, Charlotte. Come on, now." Mr. Talon said, taking hold of his daughter's hand.  
  
They walked toward the counter and Mr. Talon said, "We would like to make a withdrawal from the account of Frank Talon, please."  
  
"Do you have the key, sir?"  
  
"Yes," Mr. Talon responded, digging in his pocket for it. A few moments later, he held out a tiny copper key, and handed it to the goblin.  
  
After a brief examination, the goblin said, "Everything seems to be in order." He then cleared his throat and called, "Griphook! Please take these two to vault 1529."  
  
It was then that another goblin walked over to the counter and said, "Follow me, please."  
  
Charlotte, still having her hand in her father's, kept close attention to the things around her. Even after she was sure that magic was truly real, she could not help but think that she was only having a dream. A fantastic, wonderful dream like none she had ever had before.  
  
Griphook led the two of them to a cart in a small, narrow stone passageway. The hall was lit dimmly by several flaming torches along the walls. When all of them got into the cart, it began to move right away. It was also going very fast, and that made it difficult for Charlotte to keep track of where they were going. She was also beginning to feel a little sick, and she was delighted when the cart stopped moving.  
  
"Key, please," Griphook said as he got out of the cart. Mr. Talon stood up, and motioned for Charlotte to do the same. Finally, they had both gotten out of the cart as well, and her father handed over the key.  
  
Griphook took the key in his hands and thanked Mr. Talon. Then, after sticking the copper key into a hole that Charlotte could barely see, green smoke poured out as the vault opened. To her amazement, she saw piles and piles of gold, silver and bronze as the smoke cleared.  
  
"Oh my goodness," she sighed.  
  
"Thank you, Griphook. We'll be done in a moment." her father said, and Griphook walked back over to the cart to wait.  
  
"Dad... this is all your money?" Charlotte asked in astonishment.  
  
"Ours, Charlotte. And don't worry. There's plenty." Mr. Talon replied. "This should be enough to cover the cost of your school supplies and whatever else you may need during your terms." he said as he piled coins into a burlap sack Griphook had handed him.  
  
With that being done, Charlotte and Mr. Talon walked back over to the cart, and again, it moved immediately. Charlotte turned around just in time to see another goblin close their vault, before the cart jolted and forced her back into her seat.  
  
"Best not turn around, Miss. You may become ill," Griphook called from the front.  
  
"Yes, thank you, Griphook," Charlotte responded. She could feel her face turning green, and even though she didn't want to get sick, she was so intrigued by what may be under the cart's rails. After Griphook spoke, Mr. Talon took hold of Charlotte's arm, making sure she would not get a chance to find out.  
  
The cart turned more bumpy corners, until they were finally back at where they had started. The sack of money was at Mr. Talon's waist, and the two left the building, off to purchase the items Charlotte would need for Hogwarts.  
  
As they walked through both sets of doors once more, she smiled widely. The sun was shining, and nothing was going to dampen her spirits today. 


	8. Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions

A/N: Wheeeeeee!!! I'm loving this- here's ch. 9! Don't be discouraged!  
  
---  
  
"Where are we going now, Dad?" asked Charlotte.  
  
"Well," he said, "I'm going to drop you off at Madam Malkin's to have your robes fitted, and I will go buy your other supplies. When you finish, ask someone to give you directions to Ollivanders wands. I'll meet you there."  
  
"Okay..." Charlotte responded. "This will save time, I guess," she thought.  
  
Mr. Talon led her to a shop with a sign above the door stating, "Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions." Charlotte looked at her father, and asked for some of the money.  
  
"Alright, Charlotte. The system is easy enough," Mr. Talon began, "The silver ones are sickles, the bronze ones are knuts, and the gold ones are galleons. Twenty-nine knuts make one sickle, and seventeen sickles make one galleon."  
  
"Thanks, Dad." Charlotte sighed as Mr. Talon filled another small sack with coins.  
  
"This should cover the cloak, robes, hat, and wand. Are you all set?"  
  
"Yes," Charlotte said just as a pale, blonde-haired boy with a pointed face walked out of the shop with a smug look upon it.  
  
"Alright, Charlotte. Go over to Ollivanders and wait for me when you finish." Mr. Talon said, and walked in the other direction and into a shop called Flourish and Blotts.  
  
Still wondering what Flourish and Blotts might sell, she walked inside Madam Malkin's. Sitting in the corner of the store was a petite, happy- looking witch dressed entirely in mauve.  
  
"Getting your Hogwarts uniform, dear?" she asked. Charlotte guessed this must be Madam Malkin, and nodded in response to her question.  
  
"Then don't be nervous, Miss! Come right over here and I'll be with you in a moment." Madam Malkin said with a smile, pointing to a small stool.  
  
"Just stand here?" Charlotte asked.  
  
"Yeah," said a girl with brown hair and glasses to the right.  
  
"Okay," Charlotte replied, walking towards the stool.  
  
"Hi! My name's Katherine Varady. Ouch!" the girl said. The witch who was pinning her robes accidentially stuck her with a pin.  
  
"Sorry, dearie." she appologized.  
  
"My name's Charlotte Talon."  
  
"So, you're going to Hogwarts, too?"  
  
"Yeah. I still can't believe it."  
  
"My family's pureblood, so I'm kinda used to this stuff. I've been waiting to go to Hogwarts since I was five!" Katherine said with a smile.  
  
"Oh. I'm new to all of this. My mom isn't a witch, and my dad wasn't sure if I'd be able to go to Hogwarts, to they kept it a secret and raised me like a... uh... "  
  
"Muggle?"  
  
"Yeah, that's it. I forgot."  
  
"My mom is over there, talking to Madam Malkin. Where are your parents?"  
  
"Oh," Charlotte said, "My dad went to go get my other things so we could save time. He wants me to meet him at Olivers or something."  
  
"Oh, you mean Ollivanders." Katherine giggled. "My mom wants to go there next. Maybe we can go together?"  
  
"Sure!" Charlotte exclaimed. It felt nice to make a new friend. She also didn't want to go alone.  
  
Madam Malkin walked away from Katherine's mother, and came towards Charlotte. She was carrying a large black robe, and as she approached, she unfolded it. Pulling it over Charlotte's head, she asked for her to stay still.  
  
"Just so you won't be pricked, dear." Madam Malkin explained. Charlotte liked this woman already.  
  
"Do you know what house you might be in?" Katherine asked.  
  
"House?"  
  
"Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Those are the houses that you could be placed in at the sorting."  
  
"The... sorting?"  
  
"It's the ceremony for first years. You'll see."  
  
"Well, dear," the witch pinning Katherine's robes interrupted, "You're all finished."  
  
"Thank you! Oh, and I need a hat and cloak, too."  
  
With a wave of the witch's wand, two more identical robes appeared for Katherine, and her third instantly came off and folded itself, landing on the pile. With another flick, a pointed black hat came out of thin air, and a black cloak with its silver fastenings as well.  
  
"Thank you very much," Katherine said. She gathered up her things, and began walking to her mother.  
  
"Be right back, Charlotte," she said.  
  
"Just one more moment, dear," Madam Malkin chimed in. "Finished!" she added after one more pin.  
  
"Thank you, ma'am. And I also need--"  
  
"Oh, I know, dearie," Madam Malkin interrupted. "I've been fixing up Hogwarts robes for so long, I know that list like the back of my wand."  
  
And, just as the witch fixing Katherin's robes had, she waved her wand and two more of the very same robes appeared, and the three floated onto a small pile of their own. Next was the hat, and then the winter cloak appeared. Charlotte was in awe. Things just seemed to be done in a snap(or in this case, a wave)when magic was involved.  
  
"Thank you, Madam Malkin. How much will this cost?" Charlotte asked.  
  
"All together?" Let me see..." Madam Malkin thought out loud, "Eight galleons and fifteen Knuts."  
  
Charlotte sifted through her satchel of coins and took out the correct amount. It seemed like she was getting used to the "system" already.  
  
Or... maybe not.  
  
"Dear, Knuts are the bronze ones," Madam Malkin chuckled. Charlotte blushed, and put the Sickles back into the bag, exchanging them for the correct coins.  
  
"Thank you, dearie."  
  
Charlotte began walking towards the door with her bags, but a hand tapped her shoulder, making her turn around. It was Katherine, and she had a smile on her face.  
  
"Let's go to Ollivanders, Charlotte!" she said. "Mom says we can go together."  
  
Charlotte beamed, and looked over at Katherine's mother, who smiled and waved.  
  
"Yeah, let's go!" exclaimed Charlotte.  
  
--- A/N: How was that? And to those of you with no clue, Katherine is based on another one of my friends. Patricia, I hope you're liking this, and everyone else, too! 


	9. My own wand!

Chapter 9: "My own wand!"  
  
Charlotte and Katherine both walked out of Madam Malkin's and, with Katherine's mother behind them, walked down the seemingly endless street.  
  
"So," Charlotte asked, "Where is Ollivanders?"  
  
"That's easy. We're almost there. Look!" Katherine said, pointing to her right. Surely enough, there was a small shop with a sign hanging above the door that said in peeling gold letters, "Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 B.C."  
  
"Wait, 382 B.C.?!" Charlotte cried in surprise.  
  
"Yeah, they're that good. Why do you ask?" questioned Katherine.  
  
"N-nothing... it's just a little weird. That's a very long time..."  
  
Katherine raised one eyebrow at Charlotte, and shrugged it off. For someone so used to magic, that sort of thing didn't shock her at all.  
  
The two walked into the shop, after Katherine's mother said that she would meet back with her at Eeylops Owl Emporium, where Katherine's sister had gone earlier.  
  
"Good afternoon," called a soft voice from the back of the shop. An elderly man with large, shining eyes appeared from out of the dark.  
  
"Miss Varady, will you be purchasing your own wand this year?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, finally," Katherine sighed.  
  
"And where is Jenna today?"  
  
"Down at Eeylops, Mr. Ollivander."  
  
"Aah. Now, who is this friend of yours?" he asked, looking over at Charlotte. His eyes would not blink, and this made her nervous. Tugging at a piece of her red hair, she smiled, and looked over at one of the many shelves.  
  
"This is Charlotte Talon. She'll be needing a wand, too." Katherine said.  
  
"Hello," Charlotte said quietly.  
  
"Good afternoon, Charlotte," Mr. Ollivander said with his unblinking eyes. Charlotte shuddered as he continued. "Now, let's get started, shall we? Katherine, you will be first."  
  
"Alright!" Katherine cried.  
  
Suddenly, a long tape measure appeared, landing in Mr. Ollivander's bony hands.  
  
"Wand hand, Miss Varady?"  
  
"Right."  
  
The tape measure came to life at once. Instantly, it began to measure Katherine in some very odd places. Including the area between her eyebrows! When it had finished, it landed in Mr. Ollivander's hand once more.  
  
"Wait one moment," he said.  
  
Katherine squealed with delight. "I'm getting my wand! I've been waiting forever for this!" she said.  
  
Mr. Ollivander returned carrying four thin boxes. He set them down on his counter, all but one. Taking the cover off the box at hand, he held it out for Katherine.  
  
She took out what appeared to be a long, slender piece of wood.  
  
"Ebony and Phoenix feather. Seven and-a-half inches. Give it a whirl," he told her.  
  
Katherine flicked the wand, but nothing happened.  
  
"Try this one," Mr. Ollivander said, taking out another wand. "Yew and Unicorn hair. Eight inches, very springy."  
  
Again, Katherine gave it a wave, but achieved different results than before. She was showered with gold and red sparks.  
  
"Wonderful!" Mr. Ollivander exclaimed, taking her wand and placing it back in it's box. Katherine already seemed to know the price, as she took out seven golden galleons, and placed the box in her bag.  
  
"And now for you, Miss Talon," Mr. Ollivander began, taking out his tape measure. "Wand hand?" he asked.  
  
"Well, I'm right-handed, if that's what you mean," responded Charlotte.  
  
The measuring tape sprung to life once more, and began its strange measurements. This made Charlotte wonder why Mr. Ollivander would need to know how far apart her eyes were.  
  
Mr. Ollivander opened one of the two remaining boxes that Katherine had not tested. Now holding a new wand, he held it out for Charlotte.  
  
"Holly and Unicorn hair. Nine inches, quite supple. Try it out a bit." he said.  
  
Charlotte took the wand and waved it around a few times. After nothing happened, she began to feel very stupid, waving a piece of wood in the air. Mr. Ollivander quickly snatched it back, and took out another one.  
  
"Try this one," he said, handing it to her, "Ash and phoenix feather. Eleven and-a-half inches, whippy."  
  
She flicked it twice, but was surprised with the results. Just as Charlotte waved the wand for the second time, a jet of green light came out of the tip, hitting Mr. Ollivander in the stomach. He was lifted above the ground briefly, and landed on the floor of the shop with a nervous look on his face. He grabbed the edge of his counter to pull himself up, and brushed himself off. Still shocked over what had just happened, he immediately took the wand away from Charlotte, and put it back in its box.  
  
"No, this is definitely not the one," said poor Mr. Ollivander, walking towards the back of the shop. He returned a few moments later with three more boxes.  
  
"We might have more luck with one of these," he said, placing them on the counter. Mr. Ollivander removed a wand from its box, and mumbled something under his breath that Charlotte couldn't understand. Handing her the next wand, he described, "Cedar and Dragon heartstring. Thirteen inches, a very interesting combination. Just take it and give it a wave."  
  
With the new wand at hand, Charlotte hoped for better results. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck in this shop all day, being stared at by an old man who hardly spoke.  
  
She held up the wand and gave it a swish. Just as a stream of red and gold sparks emerged from the tip, Katherine clapped, and Charlotte's father walked inside. She looked over at him, and could not hold back her smile.  
  
"See, Dad?" she exclaimed, "My own wand!" 


	10. Flash

Chapter 10: Flash  
  
The three walked out of Ollivanders together, with Katherine and Charlotte's newly purchased wands. The girls were quiet, but kept smiling at each other as they stood in the road. Katherine suddenly stopped dead in her tracks and gave a small gasp.  
  
"Agh! I forgot- my mom wanted me to meet her at Eeylops!" She cried.  
  
"Oh..." Charlotte sighed.  
  
"I've gotta go... right now! She's probably worried sick or something," she rushed. "Mr. Talon, it was nice meeting you. Oh, and Charlotte..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Let's sit together on the train tomorrow! I'll save you a seat," Katherine said with a smile.  
  
"That sounds great," Charlotte replied.  
  
With a wave, Katherine took off in the other direction, and soon could not be seen.  
  
Mr. Talon looked over at his daughter, and thought of how proud he had become of her. Many a time he had thought about how far away his job kept him from seeing her and Laura. Mr. Talon sighed as he pondered whether he was a good father or not. He decided that the two of them should have some fun before Charlotte would have to leave for Hogwarts in the morning.  
  
"Charlotte," he started, "How would you like to have your own pet?"  
  
Charlotte looked over at him in delight; her eyes sparkling. "Are you serious, Dad?" she asked.  
  
"Why wouldn't I be?" he beamed.  
  
"This is so cool! What can I get?"  
  
"Take out your supplies list; you tell me!"  
  
Charlotte reached into the pocket of her sweater, taking out her Hogwarts supplies list. Under where it stated to purchase one set of brass scales, it said, "Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad."  
  
She already had what she wanted in mind. Just like on the day she found out that magic was real after all.  
  
"Dad... how about an owl?" she requested.  
  
"If that's what you want," Mr. Talon replied.  
  
"Alright! So we're going to Eeylops?" she asked, thinking Katherine might still be there. With a nod, Mr. Talon showed Charlotte the way to the shop.  
  
With all of the pets that she had ever owned, this one was special. Even compared to her lizards and fish, it was more important than that.  
  
***  
  
Charlotte peeked inside the cage again. There, under the cloth covering the metal bars stood a small, grey-spotted owl. She had picked him out specially, and he reminded her of her introduction to the magical world.  
  
"Hey, Flash," she cooed, "You get some sleep now. We've got a big day tomorrow."  
  
And, as if Flash could understand her, he tucked his head underneath his wing and began inhaling deeply; soon asleep.  
  
The bedroom at the Inn was fairly quiet, aside from her father's slight snoring. Downstairs, a man named Tom was still running the bar, though he said that he would wake both Mr. Talon and her when it was time to leave for the train.  
  
Over in the corner was Charlotte's school trunk, already filled for the day ahead. It actually belonged to her father as a child, and to her, that made it special. Why wouldn't it? Charlotte gazed lazily at the ceiling, wondering about a few things. Would Katherine be her only friend? What if she failed her classes? What were they even like?  
  
These questions and more consumed her thoughts. Some were important, and others were quite stupid, such as what she would do if she lost her toothbrush.  
  
But what about Deanna? Her best friend? Although Charlotte had promised to keep in touch and come home for Christmas, there would be things left undone, and she didn't think anyone at Hogwarts could do them for her. Things Deanna could only do.  
  
Deanna had to keep her end of the secret, too. Due to the Wizarding Code of Secrecy that Mr. Talon had explained to the both of them, muggles weren't even supposed to know about magic. Deanna had to pretend Charlotte had only gone to a boarding school, nothing more. And that was fine with her.  
  
But Charlotte wanted something else. For the first time, she wanted someone to tease her and call her "Charlie" again.  
  
She got up from the lumpy bed and stared at herself in the mirror. What a sight she was- her red hair was stringy and needed to be washed, her hazel eyes looked tired and had bags underneath them. She could tell how awful she looked at the moment. The only thing was, she didn't need someone else to tell her so.  
  
"Dear, you look terribly fatigued. Try and get some sleep. I'm sure you'll feel better in the morning," said a voice.  
  
"Huh? Who said that?" Charlotte asked, bemused.  
  
"Only the mirror, dear. Nothing to worry about. Now, please go to sleep."  
  
Charlotte was indeed very tired; too tired to wonder how a piece of furniture was talking to her in the first place.  
  
"Yeah, good night," she yawned, walking over to her bed. After she crawled in, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. The mirror sighed with relief as Charlotte began to snore. Too many residents that had used this room had not been able to sleep after discovering that the mirror could talk. The last thing anyone needed was a screaming little girl thrashing about a mirror. 


	11. Where are you, Katherine?

Chapter 11: "Where are you, Katherine?"  
  
After Mr. Talon had woken up Charlotte, he told her she had to be ready fast. The train would be leaving in an hour, and they had a limited amount of time to get to the station.  
  
"I've already gotten your things ready; they're downstairs with Tom. Come on, we need to eat and leave," he rushed.  
  
Charlotte groaned and pulled her blanket over her face. "Just five more minutes," she mumbled.  
  
"Don't make me go and get ice to rub on your feet," Mr. Talon laughed. This was something that nearly always worked.  
  
"No thanks!" Charlotte said as she instantly climbed out of bed, "I'm up!" She remembered the horrible feeling from the ice. When she was younger, her father would rub ice cubes on her feet to wake her up for school and other early-morning activities. It wasn't a very pleasant feeling.  
  
***  
  
After both Mr. Talon and Charlotte had eaten, they left in a hurry. Today there was no portkey, and they would have to take a taxi.  
  
The car did not smell spring time-fresh, and come to think of it, neither did the driver. Charlotte was glad when the taxi stopped in front of Kings Cross Station, where the Hogwarts Express would be waiting.  
  
When the driver had been paid, he drove off in silence as Mr. Talon led Charlotte over to the platforms. He handed Charlotte her ticket, and she was more than a little surprised.  
  
"Dad, this says--" she began.  
  
"Don't worry about it," Mr. Talon interrupted.  
  
"This makes no sense," Charlotte thought, "My ticket says Platform nine and three-quarters!"  
  
"Charlotte, are you paying attention? I'm trying to tell you how to get onto the platform," her father said, breaking into her thoughts.  
  
"Sorry, Dad. Where do I go? This ticket is ridiculous!"  
  
"I know it's a little unusual, but that's not the point," Mr. Talon explained. As he led Charlotte past several platforms, they finally arrived at number nine. She tried walking towards it, but her father pulled her back.  
  
"No, not there," he said.  
  
"Then where, Dad? This is the closest to what the ticket says!" growled Charlotte, becoming frustrated. Along with all the stress of getting used to all this magic, having to leave home, and not knowing where to go, this was definitely not the greatest time to get lost.  
  
"Don't take that tone with me, Charlotte. That's very disrespectful," Mr. Talon scolded. Taking his daughter by the shoulder, he showed her over to the barrier between platforms nine and ten, only to confuse Charlotte further. At times like these, she was prone to being quite stubborn.  
  
"Nice wall. Could've picked a nicer color, but I suppose it wasn't in the painter's best interest, 'eh, Dad?" she mumbled sarcastically.  
  
"Don't start that again. Now, listen closely. All you need to do is walk straight through the barrier. Also, remember that if you're nervous, you'll crash into it. Should I follow you, or will you be alright on your own?" Mr. Talon asked after his explanation.  
  
"I... I think I'll be okay alone," Charlotte replied.  
  
"Sure, now? Alright, just make sure no one is looking," he said, checking the area around them, "Are you ready?"  
  
"Yeah; see you at Christmas."  
  
"Have a good term, Charlotte."  
  
"Thanks, Dad. Bye," she said as she attempted to walk into the barrier. Her red hair fell in front of her eyes and she veered to the left a little bit. Worried that something might fall off of her cart, she gasped a little bit; making her nervous. And, as her father said, she hit the wall; apparently very solid indeed.  
  
"This is definitely not the greatest time for that!" she growled, pulling the cart back into a proper position. "Bye, and this time, I mean it!" Charlotte mumbled to her father, chuckling about his daughter's mishap.  
  
As she spoke her last words, she walked through the barrier, and was overcome with a light-headed feeling. When she could finally see, she was amazed at what lay before her eyes. In front of her was a bright-red train with the words, "Hogwarts Express" along the sides.  
  
"Wow..." Charlotte sighed as she stared at this wonderful sight. She walked over to the train, still pushing her cart, and opened the door. But with one door comes many others, and that is exactly what she found.  
  
The cart in front of her was getting heavy, and she hoped that it wouldn't be much longer until she would have to stop pushing it.  
  
"I wonder where Katherine could be," she thought, "She said she'd save a seat for me..."  
  
On her right, she opened up the door closest to her, but the room inside was empty. Disappointed, Charlotte pushed the cart further and opened a second door. Inside were two girls; twins, apparently. Their laughter, along with their conversation, had stopped. One girl giggled as the other asked, "Erm... can we help you?"  
  
"Uhh... I'm not sure. Do you know where Katherine Varady is, by any chance?" Charlotte questioned hopefully.  
  
"Who?" one of the twins chuckled, "Sorry, no."  
  
"Oh... alright, then." sighed Charlotte, turning around and closing the door behind her.  
  
"Katherine, where are you?" she pondered. This was too confusing- why couldn't anything be easy today? 


	12. Compartment Expeditions

Chapter 12: "Parlez-vous Français, madmoiselle?"  
  
Charlotte began to panic a little. Here she was, in another country, on her way to an unfamiliar place, with no one she knew in sight! She'd just been laughed at by some girls she didn't know, and tried hard to keep herself from crying.  
  
She opened and closed the doors of several more compartments, leaving her more confused. Charlotte saw the pale-faced boy from Madam Malkin's the other day, and in another compartment, two red-headed twins and a boy with dreadlocks, crowding over a small box. She left before she could find out what was inside of it-she had a feeling she didn't want to know.  
  
"That's it," Charlotte mumbled through stifled tears, "I don't care who's in this next compartment. I'm going to sit in it!"  
  
With that being said, she opened her final door; closing it behind her.  
  
"Il fait du vent en été... err... No, that's not right! Ugh!" mumbled a dark-blonde boy sitting in the corner. He held a large textbook in his lap, simply titled, "Étudiez-vous Français!" He looked up from his book, staring straight at Charlotte.  
  
"Oh, hi!" he said, perking up to his new company.  
  
"Hey," she sniffled, smiling slightly. He seemed friendly. "Do you mind if I stay here? I can't find my friend; she said she'd save me a seat somewhere."  
  
"Sure! What's your name?"  
  
"Charlotte Talon. How about you?" she questioned, sitting down next to the boy.  
  
"Je m'appelle Luc Carter," he said.  
  
"Oh, is that French?" Charlotte asked.  
  
"Yeah. Parlez-vous Français, madmoiselle?"  
  
"A little bit. I'm-" she began, "I mean, I was learning some at school."  
  
"Well," Luc laughed, "Why didn't you answer me in French, then?"  
  
"Hey, I did say I only knew a little bit!" she giggled.  
  
The two of them got to talking more, and soon it was as if they had been best friends for a long time. Soon enough, a plump woman pushing a trolley with a variety of snacks came by, asking if either were interested in any. Charlotte politely turned down her offer, but Luc got himself something labeled, "Chocolate Frog," and sat down.  
  
"Chocolate frog?" Charlotte asked.  
  
"Oh, they're not real. They just look like frogs," he replied, taking a bite. "They also come with trading cards."  
  
"Like baseball?"  
  
"Huh? No... famous wizards," he answered with a confused look on his face. "See, I got Circe. Too bad I've already got three."  
  
"Oh, alright..." Charlotte said with a sigh, looking out the window. The day seemed to pass by fast. She was having a good time, she supposed. The sky had turned dark and there were mountains all around. The forests along the way were illuminated by the full moon, and it looked spectacular.  
  
About ten minutes later, a deep voice could be heard all throughout the train, as if it had gone through a megaphone. The voice told everyone that the expected arrival time would be in approximately five minutes, and to leave their luggage in the compartments.  
  
"Luc, do you think anyone would try and steal our things?" Charlotte asked with a hint of insecurity.  
  
"Nah," he replied, "I think it's all pretty safe. Don't worry about it."  
  
"Alright, then," she said, relieved. There was just something about Luc that made him seem so trusting. It was a feeling that Charlotte couldn't quite explain to herself.  
  
"We should hurry up and get our robes on. The train's gonna stop any minute now," suggested Luc, digging in his trunk for his robes, finding one and pulling it over his head. Charlotte quickly did the same, and just after she stuck her arm through the sleeve, the train slowed to a stop.  
  
"Come on," he urged her, "Or the hall's going to be really crowded. We'll never get out!" he added with a laugh.  
  
Charlotte chuckled, and they both made their way out the door. Luc was right: it was pretty packed in the corridor. The good thing about that, though, was that even with all the shoving being done, the hall emptied fast.  
  
When she and Luc finally got outside, Charlotte got a better view of what was around her. The first thing she noticed(and she was sure she wasn't the only one to do so) was her father's friend Hagrid. He looked over and spotted her, giving a wave. Charlotte waved back, and started searching for other faces that might be familiar.  
  
"Charlotte!" someone called.  
  
She turned around, wondering who had said her name.  
  
"Charlotte! Over here!" the same voice called.  
  
Luc poked her shoulder and suggested that she look to her left. Her name was called again, only this time she saw where it had come from.  
  
"Katherine?" she asked, bewildered.  
  
"Yeah, of course it's me! How many people do you think are there that know your name?" she answered, coming over. It was definitely Katherine, this Charlotte was sure of.  
  
"Well, this is good," Charlotte thought, "Now we've found each other."  
  
---  
  
A/N: All of this talk about Mary Sues... I really don't care that much. It's my choice of style, and being that this is my first story, I'll write it however I please! I'm enjoying this, and if you don't like it, read something else.  
  
For further annoyance to those of you who do not like this type of writing style, Luc is based on my friend Mike. His favorite character in Artemis Fowl(at least I am very sure) is Luc Carrere, but I couldn't very well use the same name, could I?  
  
Chapter 13 coming soon!  
  
*** I have also changed chapter nine a little bit. Thank you to Emily- Dufleng, who gave me some interesting ideas. The wand scene with Charlotte is a little bit more interesting, I think, and I hope I'm not the only one. All I have to say about it is this: Poor old Mr. Ollivander...  
  
Also, I've changed the genre of the story. Along with fantasy, it now says "Tragedy." Why? I have some evil planning in the works right now... Hopefully, the story will then have an edge.  
  
**** Chapters 2, 7, 8, 10, and 11 have all been changed. I think they've been improved, and again, I have more ideas in the works.  
  
This includes a completely ridiculous singing scene in the common room(which one? I shall not reveal!), an angry new "friend"(most likely someone who you would label as "gothic," "evil," or "I'm-angry-at-the-world- get-away-from-me.")who tries to convince Charlotte to be mad at her parents... why? Read to see, that's all I can say.  
  
In the changed chapters, you get more of a description of Charlotte, edited typos, and added dialogue/events. I've decided that Charlotte DOES crash into the barrier, after all! Enjoy, and please send me reviews on anything I need to or should change. 


	13. The Sorting

A/N: Hi- Sorry for not updating lately, but I filled in the gap with two other stories for your reading entertainment. They are "Adventures of the Manga Morons," which is being written by my friend Nicole and I. Completely ridiculous; fun for us to write.  
  
The other is a one-shot, called "The Sun in Your Eyes," which is a story about what happened after Ron has been killed(The horror!!), and how Hermione reacts to it. Told in Ron's POV, and Harry pops in there for a brief minute or two, just to clear up Jaclyn's confusion. Oh... I love Ron... he's my absolute favorite. I wonder why I killed him, anyway... HERMIONE AND RON FOREVER!! Hee-hee... couldn't resist...  
  
I've also taken the "Tragedy" genre away. I don't want to mislead anyone just yet. The things I'm planning won't be happening for a while, anyway.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
*For future reference, this is no longer a Mary-Sue. When I first began writing this, I had no idea what that meant. Now I do.  
  
---  
  
Chapter 13: The Sorting  
  
"Where have you been? I was waiting for you by the train for the longest time!" Katherine demanded.  
  
"I... I searched through a couple of compartments for you, but when I couldn't find you, I sat somewhere else..." Charlotte said quietly.  
  
"Yeah. She came and sat with me," Luc interrupted.  
  
"And who are you?" Katherine challenged, staring at him.  
  
"Luc Carter. You?"  
  
"Katherine Varady. Well, I hope you two got along alright," she sighed.  
  
"Sorry, but I just couldn't find you... I got nervous. Some girls laughed at me when I tried asking for help, and I nearly cried. And that's when I found Luc," Charlotte explained.  
  
"It's okay," Katherine reassured, "But I almost forgot... I've got something for you."  
  
"Really? You didn't have to do that..." Charlotte answered, tugging at her robes. It was getting really cold outside.  
  
"It was no big deal. I saw something I thought you might want to try," Katherine said, digging in her pocket.  
  
"I saw it on the trolley," she explained, holding something in her hands. She placed it in Charlotte's and smiled.  
  
Charlotte looked at the small wrapped item. "Candy?" she asked. Then she read the label aloud, which said, "Drooble's Best Blowing Gum."  
  
"Oh, lucky you! I can't have any of that," Luc said, flashing his braces. Funny, because Charlotte had not noticed them before.  
  
"Thanks, Katherine. I'll try it out later," Charlotte said, placing the gum pack in her pocket. She and Katherine exchanged smiles, but quieted down as Hagrid called all of the first years over to him. When he was sure all of them had been accounted for, he led them over to an enormous black lake. What surprised Charlotte was, along with many other students, that hundreds of small boats were upon the water. As Hagrid called out that no more than four people could occupy a boat, kids scrambled to sit with their friends.  
  
"Oh, look! There's an empty one over there!" Katherine exclaimed, pulling both Luc and Charlotte towards the water. As they sat down in the boat, another girl walked by. She paced back and forth; her eyes wandering from left to right. It appeared as though she was not having much luck with finding a place to sit. When she spotted the three in their own little boat, she walked over.  
  
"Hi," she said, "Can I--"  
  
"Sure!" Katherine interrupted.  
  
The girl smiled brightly and sat beside Charlotte. She glanced briefly at all of them before finally introducing herself.  
  
"By the way, my name's Kitt O'Malley. But my friends back home just call me Kitty." she said.  
  
"Katherine Varady."  
  
"Luc Carter."  
  
"Charlotte Talon..." said Charlotte quietly. She was feeling a bit uncomfortable. You see, she was not the biggest fan of boats. She had always been afraid of what could possibly happen, even if it seemed impossible. The water looked very deep, too. What if they tipped over in the middle of the lake? What if she fell off the boat? Her mother had always teased her about this fear. Charlotte tended to overreact, she said.  
  
"Charlotte, are you okay? You don't look too good," Luc said, intruding in her wall of thoughts.  
  
"Yeah," She mumbled, "It's nothing. Don't worry about me."  
  
"Alright," he responded, unsure. Katherine and Kitt were both eyeing Charlotte suspiciously.  
  
"What's everyone looking at? I said it was nothing!" she snapped. After realizing how she had just reacted to their concern, she appologized. "Sorry... It's really just nothing, though. I'll feel better once we get off of the boat."  
  
They shrugged it off and stayed quiet for a few minutes. During their silence, Kitt started braiding her hair, and Katherine stared out onto the water. Charlotte turned away, trying to do the opposite.  
  
"Heads down!" Hagrid called as they crossed under a tunnel. Within moments, an enormous castle was in view. Hagrid instructed everyone to exit their boats accordingly, leading them to the large castle doors. As Charlotte got up from her seat, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was good to be off of the water.  
  
Hagrid knocked loudly on the door, and it opened hardly a moment later. A black-haired witch answered it, and Hagrid explained that he had brought the first years. She thanked him and sent him away. He passed by Charlotte and smiled. She returned the gesture, and followed the other soon- to-be students into the castle, led by the witch.  
  
The castle, when inside, reminded Charlotte of a dungeon. The lighting was very similar, and the stone walls and floor contributed to this growing thought. Many staircases surrounded the hall, and she wondered how anyone could remember how to get anywhere in this place.  
  
The witch, who came to be known as Professor McGonagall, began to explain some things that they would need to know for the year ahead. "Welcome," she started, "To Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. This is important because..."  
  
Charlotte lost her concentration, and slipped into a reverie. She tugged at her red hair as she thought about what might happen during the year. She imagined that her friends back home would figure out the real reason as to why she had left, or worse, Deanna told them on purpose. Not to be offensive, Charlotte thought, but Deanna could never keep a secret for very long. But what if it was as serious as this? Suddenly, she was knocked out of her daydream by Luc, who poked her shoulder.  
  
"Did you listen to any of that?" he asked, laughing.  
  
"Huh? Oh, I guess not. But--" she started.  
  
From across the hall, someone screamed. Through a wall just came about two-dozen ghosts; pearly white and almost ignoring the first years left in the large room. They chatted away, leaving the students, becoming excited about the sorting.  
  
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" One portly ghost called out before disappearing completely, "My old house, you know!"  
  
As soon as they had left, Professor McGonagall came back. She had a stern look on her face, but smiled as she instructed the first years to follow her. The students arranged themselves in a single line and did as they were told.  
  
The Great Hall was spectacular. Banners of many colors hung from the ceiling, which even looked like the night sky! And in the center of it all, there stood an old stool with an even older-looking hat resting on top of it.  
  
Professor McGonagall walked over to the hat and picked it up. "This," she said, "Is the Sorting Hat. When I call your name, please come up and place it on your head."  
  
"That's all we have to do? Fred told me we had to take a test!" Charlotte heard someone say.  
  
At that moment, Professor McGonagall placed the hat back on its stool. The rip at the brim opened, resembling a mouth. This was its cue, and it began to sing.  
  
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see.  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,  
And I can cap them all!  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.  
You may belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
If you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin,  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achieve their ends.  
So put me on! Don't be afraid,  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands(though I have none)  
For I'm a thinking cap!"  
  
When the hat finished its song, the entire hall applauded loudly. Charlotte was impressed. Not only could this hat sing, but it could talk as well!  
  
"Abott, Hannah!" Professor McGonagall called.  
  
A girl ran over to the stool and plopped down, and fixed the hat on her head. She sat there for a few moments until the hat suddenly called out, "HUFFLEPUFF!"  
  
When all of the "A's" had finished, then came the "B's." "Boot, Terry" went into Ravenclaw and "Bulstrode, Millicent" was sent to Slytherin. From what Charlotte saw, she hoped that the hat would not place her there.  
  
"Carter, Luc!" called Professor McGonagall.  
  
"Good luck," Charlotte whispered as he made his way to the stool.  
  
As he sat down, you could easily see that he was confident. When she noticed that, Charlotte suddenly became proud of Luc.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled.  
  
Like they had before, the students at the Gryffindor table clapped, and Luc sat down in an empty chair.  
  
Several more first years were called up, each being sorted into different houses. When Charlotte payed more attention to who went where, she saw the pale boy from Madam Malkin's be sorted into Slytherin. He ran his fingers through his blonde hair and smirked at the Gryffindor table; proud of where he had been placed. It took hardly a second for the hat to sort him.  
  
"O'Malley, Kitt!"  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Charlotte began to wonder where the hat would place her. She hoped again that it would not be Slytherin; they gave her a bad feeling. As Kitt flashed a smile(something she seemed to be good at), she ran over to the Gryffindor table. Charlotte watched as more and more people were called and sorted. She didn't expect the reactions of a lot of students when Harry Potter was sent up next.  
  
"What? Did she say Potter?"  
  
"Harry Potter?"  
  
"You've got to be kidding me!"  
  
"He's here?"  
  
Charlotte groaned. Why on earth did so many people care about his last name? This was like an itch she couldn't help but scratch, so she turned to Katherine for relief.  
  
"You really don't know?" she asked, bewildered, "You've got a lot to learn, Charlotte."  
  
"So what's the big deal over his name? I met him, and he seemed perfectly normal to me." Charlotte wondered out loud.  
  
"I'll tell you later," Katherine sighed, focusing on Harry. Charlotte shrugged and did the same. He sat there for quite some time before the hat made it's final decision.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" it shouted. Some students from the table chanted for their great "success"("We got Potter! We got Potter!"), and the Slytherins glared. Charlotte pondered about what house the hat might put her in again, when her name was called.  
  
She walked over to the stool, nervous. She nearly tripped on her way up, and she hoped no one had noticed. Charlotte settled the hat over her eyes and sat.  
  
"Hello, Charlotte," a voice said. Before she could protest, it went on, "It's only the hat. Not to worry. Just talk to me in thoughts."  
  
"Oh, alright, then..." thought Charlotte, obediently.  
  
"Where shall we place you?" the hat asked.  
  
"Well, can I ask a favor?" Charlotte thought, "I'd rather not be in Slytherin, if that's okay..."  
  
"I don't see why. Slytherin has produced many a fine witch or two."  
  
"They just don't seem pleasant, though."  
  
"Are you afraid?"  
  
Charlotte could feel her face turning red. "No!" she thought, "I am not scared! Put me anywhere; I don't care!"  
  
"Fancy a challenge, 'eh? That's a fine quality you have there, mind you. I think I may have a good place for you, after all."  
  
"And where is that?"  
  
"A good house for you would have to be..." the hat began, only this time not in her head. It became loud enough for the whole hall to hear, "GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
"Thank you!" she thought before removing the hat and hopping off of the stool. She dashed towards the Gryffindor table, only unlike before... she actually did trip.  
  
This was going to be a long year.  
  
She got up immediately and brushed herself off, although she knew she was blushing like mad. She sat next to Luc; across from Kitty, and laughed at her accident.  
  
"A bit of a klutz, are we, Charlotte?" he asked, chuckling with her.  
  
"I guess I must be!" She responded, "Let's wait for Katherine, okay?"  
  
They watched from their table, seeing other first years like themselves be sorted. Soon enough, Katherine's name was called.  
  
When she had been announced, she walked up nonchalantly and placed the hat over her head. She was there for two minutes at most, until the hat called out that she belonged in Gryffindor as well.  
  
She scuttled over next to Charlotte's other side, smiling. "I could have sworn the hat would put me in Hufflepuff! That's where my sister is," she said.  
  
"You don't have to be in the same house, even if you are related. My cousin is in Ravenclaw," Luc explained.  
  
One of the last kids to be sorted was a tall boy in glasses("Wheylan, Zachary"), who was sent to Ravenclaw. After the final student was called, Professor McGonagall took out her wand and waved it at the stool; it and what had remained on top of it disappeared.  
  
She then announced, "Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words to all of you."  
  
At that time, an elderly man with a very long beard stood up from his seat and cleared his throat. "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" he called out. Students all around burst into laughter. "Thank you all, and let the feast begin!"  
  
In an instant, the golden plates on the tables were filled with food; it came out of nowhere! Charlotte looked on either side of her. Both Luc and Katherine were eating, so she figured she should as well.  
  
Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad, after all!  
  
---  
  
A/N: Ugh! That took forever to type! Sorry I didn't post it right away. I want to thank you all for being so dedicated to "AWNW," and I hope I'll get chapter 14 done soon for your reading pleasure!  
  
And I was wondering whether I should have placed Charlotte in Slytherin or not... that would have been a surprise! But my friends who have been reading this told me it would be awful if I did that... so Gryffy she goes!  
  
Kitt is Nicole... Really, this story just has people popping out as my close friends. Funny how that works out, huh? Zachary Wheylan will eventually become somewhat of an important character, but I haven't decided yet. As his name states, he'll turn out like my friend Zack. I'm so pathetic! :) 


	14. Restless

A/N: Sorry for not updating, but my old computer got a virus and completely ate my files and we had no internet access. Anyone know what a WindSoc file is? Well, if it's corrupted, no internet for you!  
  
Also: All reviews are encouraged and appreciated. Constructive criticism not ONLY de-crappifies my work, but also gives you the chance to voice your opinion and GIVE ME IDEAS. *hint...* Forgive me if this chapter isn't so fantabulous. I had a bit of writers block...  
  
Anyway, on with the show! Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 14: Restless  
  
"Charlotte! Stop bouncing on that bed, you prat!" hollered Katherine in the girls' dormitory. "You're going to fall off!"  
  
"So?" Charlotte called back, continuing to jump on the mattress. "When am I ever going to get another chance to do this? My bed at home isn't like this one!"  
  
"You can't do that! And besides, I thought you wanted to know about Harry Potter..." Katherine said sarcastically. After all, how else was she going to get Charlotte to stop acting so moronic?  
  
"Alright, alright!" sighed Charlotte, sitting down at the foot of her four-poster. All throughout the banquet, Katherine and Kitt had both been talking enthusiastically about Harry. What bothered Charlotte was that she didn't even know the first thing about him! After they had been sorted, she asked Katherine why he was so important to everyone. What was so special about him, when he seemed just like everyone else?  
  
"Well," Katherine began, clearing her throat, "Harry plays a really big role in the wizarding world. But the biggest part of that is the fact that he didn't even mean to do anything!"  
  
"Yeah, but you still haven't told me what he did yet!" groaned Charlotte, getting impatient.  
  
"I was getting to it!"  
  
"Okay, okay!"  
  
"Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted," started Katherine, winking, "There used to be a dark wizard. He was the baddest of bad, and I mean it! He had been destroyed, though, but the strangest thing about it was that a baby not even a year old did the deed!"  
  
"And?" prompted Charlotte.  
  
"Don't you see what I'm getting at?"  
  
Charlotte blushed. "No, not exactly. Are you trying to tell me that the baby was Harry?!"  
  
"Of course I am! No one really knows how he did it, though. And you've seen the scar... that's the only thing he got out of it! He could've been killed, but he only got a mark on his forehead!" sighed Katherine. "But the sad thing is that his parents were both killed by the dark lord."  
  
"That's... awful! You mean he hasn't got any parents at all?" exclaimed Charlotte, feeling new sympathy for Harry.  
  
"Well, yeah..."  
  
"So he's famous for something he never meant to do... only he lost something precious along with it..." breathed Charlotte, amazed.  
  
"It's a lot for someone to go through, y'know? He's been living with his aunt and uncle in a muggle town since that terrible night," Katherine added.  
  
"You could call that the understatement of the year. But who did it? What was the dark lord's name?"  
  
Katherine stared at Charlotte with a startled look on her face. "Charlotte, I can't say that..."  
  
"And why not?" demanded Charlotte.  
  
"Most of us just call him You-Know-Who. Some people are uncomfortable saying his name," said a bushy-haired girl in the next bed.  
  
"Is that so? Well, I don't even know who he is; why should I have to be afraid of him?" Charlotte asked her.  
  
"You really don't know? Wow... I thought everyone understood the reason," she responded.  
  
"Hermione, not everyone is as smart as you, just so you know," interrupted Kitt. "Charlotte, his name's Voldemort, okay?"  
  
A girl named Lavender flinched. Katherine's face went white. "What the heck did you say his name for?" she demanded.  
  
"Why, do you think he's gonna creep up behind you and hex you for saying his name? Katherine, he's dead! Dead, dead, dead!" Kitt repeated, emphasizing her point. "Come on, everyone, being afraid to say something as stupid as a name only makes you more scared of what you're talking about!" she continued, clearly annoyed.  
  
"Yeah, I really don't see the point in cowering over someone's name..." Charlotte muttered. Though, a lot of things made less sense since she had recieved her acceptance letter. She laughed at the thought. Things were so different after that.  
  
"But... that was Mom and Dad's fault, wasn't it?" a voice inside her head interrogated. She wondered if that voice was really her own. Charlotte brushed off those words quickly, not wanting them to develop into a grudge against her parents. She didn't know what she would do without either of them in her life.  
  
"Just go to sleep, won't you? You're louder than you think, you know!" called another girl in the dorm. Charlotte recognized her as one of the twins from the train earlier that day. Hoping the girl wouldn't remember her, Charlotte obeyed instantly. The last thing she wanted was to be laughed at again for getting lost.  
  
"Yeah, whatever..." chorused the others in the dormitory. The girl was right; they did have their first classes tomorrow. It would be in everyone's best interest that they get to bed at a decent hour.  
  
As everyone said their good-nights, Charlotte sunk into her mattress. The room soon became silent, and she was only left with the quiet snores of the other girls in the dorm. Everyone seemed to fall asleep easily. Charlotte wished she could do the same, but even the slightest noise forced her eyes open.  
  
She groaned and got up from her bed. This was normal; Charlotte always tended to have sleeping problems. It ran in her family, she believed. As she opened the door and descended down the spiral staircase from the girls' dormitories, the steps creaked, making her jump.  
  
"Maybe a glass of water would help..." she thought. Without any further delay, she walked into the bathroom and retrieved herself a cup of water. She then strode over to one of the long scarlett couches and sat down. As she sipped the water, her eyes began to close. Soon enough, she had fallen asleep.  
  
***  
  
"Charlotte, what are you doing down here?" someone asked.  
  
It seemed really early. As Charlotte fluttered her eyes open, she realized that the cup was still in her hand, only its contents had spilled onto the floor. Her vision was still blurry; she wondered who was trying to talk to her.  
  
"Who is that?" she mumbled, "And what time is it?"  
  
"I'm not sure if you remember me, but it's Harry," the boy said. "Harry Potter. We met at Gringotts; Hagrid and I were just leaving when you came."  
  
Charlotte rubbed her eyes a few times; it seemed to help her eyesight in the morning. Fumbling around the area, she wondered where she had placed her glasses. She sighed, figuring they were still upstairs. "Oh," she said, "I remember you! My dad went nuts trying to shake your hand when he saw you. Sorry about that, by the way; he's a little bit odd."  
  
"No problem," Harry responded. "Oh, and it's just about four-thirty in the morning. Pretty early, huh?"  
  
"You bet," groaned Charlotte, pulling herself up from the couch. "Wait, why are you down here at this hour?"  
  
"Err... Ron was snoring louder than you can imagine, and so I thought I'd come down here for a bit."  
  
"Oh, alright.... Who's Ron?"  
  
Harry laughed. "He's the really tall one with red hair and freckles. His last name is Weasley, if that helps you any more."  
  
"Well, not really, but at least I'll know who you're talking about some other time," chuckled Charlotte.  
  
"Mind if I sit down?"  
  
"Sure; go ahead."  
  
He sat down opposite of her, showing a tired smile. Charlotte couldn't help but grin in return. Classes wouldn't start for hours, but she knew they both needed to make sure they wouldn't have sleeping problems often. She ran her fingers through her hair and yawned. Just then, she came up with an idea to pass the time.  
  
"Hey, Harry; do you want to play cards?" Charlotte asked, hopeful.  
  
"Sure, but only for a little while. We've still got to get to bed; breakfast is in a couple of hours," he said through yawns.  
  
"I brought a deck with me; it's in my trunk. I'll be right back, okay?"  
  
"Alright."  
  
Charlotte got up from the couch and walked over to the staircase. She came up the stairs slowly, trying not to make the steps creak like they had before. When she found herself at the door, she walked in, leaving it slightly ajar. Creeping over to her trunk, she saw that Katherine was still sleeping.  
  
Charlotte tried to be as silent as she could, as not to wake up the other girls. Once she had gotten the deck of cards, she clicked the trunk shut with a snap and exited the same way she came.  
  
When she came back over to the couch again, she noticed that Harry had fallen asleep while she was away.  
  
"Lucky boy," she thought. She wished sleep came that easily to her. Wondering whether he would wake up soon or not, she started to play a game of Solitaire. The time went by slowly until she, too, fell asleep, right on the floor on which she was playing.  
  
***  
  
Charlotte woke to the sounds of several pairs of feet coming down the staircases. Looking over at the couch, she saw that Harry had gone, and that a blanket was draped over her shoulders. She got up from the floor and brushed herself off, wondering where everyone was going. Just as she gathered up all of the cards, she saw Katherine and Kitt coming down the stairs of the girls' dormitories.  
  
"So that's where you were all night? Down here?" Kitt said, spotting her. There was exasperation in her voice.  
  
"We were wondering where you had been! Where did you sleep, on an armchair?" asked Katherine, clearly just as shocked.  
  
"No... the couch. And the floor for a little bit..." answered Charlotte, mumbling.  
  
"For the whole night?" Kitt and Katherine questioned in unison.  
  
"I guess so," responded Charlotte, rubbing her shoulders. Sleeping on the floor wasn't exactly the smartest thing she could have done.  
  
"Well, you'd better get dressed! Breakfast is in ten minutes!" rushed Katherine.  
  
"Sure..." muttered Charlotte. Still rubbing her shoulders unconsciously, she laggered up the stairs to the girls' dorm, leaving Kitt and Katherine to go eat.  
  
***  
  
A/N: AGH!!! Writers block is awful. I'm trying to make the chapters longer, but that's hard when I can't think of anything to write. I hope you liked this last installment of "A Whole New World." Wishing that I'll get the fifteenth chapter up soon. 


	15. Meeting Jade

A/N: I'm thinking of actually putting this story on hold for a while. I hate having a WIP (work-in-progress), because I know that annoys a lot of people. Also, some of you are still under the impression that this is Mary-Sueish. The story started out with a character I wanted to be somewhat like myself, but it didn't turn out that way in the end and now I could really care less (as I'm sure you do too).  
  
I might have more time to work on this story but unless my readers REVIEW (hint... hint.... GOD, HINT ALREADY!), I don't think there's really any point in posting. Honestly, why should I bother typing up chapters for my readers that I don't even know exist? ACKNOWLEDGE ME, PEOPLE!  
  
And... NOT A MARY-SUE!!! If that's the problem with people reviewing.... NOT A MARY SUE!  
  
Sorry about my ranting. But honestly... some reviewing would be GREAT.  
  
::whispers:: not a mary-sue.... not a mary-sue...  
  
Now I'm pissing myself off with that Mary Sue crap. Just read.  
  
--------------  
  
A Whole New World: Chapter 15- Meeting Jade  
  
The door to the girls' dormitory slammed shut. As Charlotte made her way downstairs, glasses in hand, she wondered, "What are these classes going to be like? This is too surreal..."  
  
She opened the door that led students into the common room and let herself out. She was the only person who hadn't gone to breakfast yet, she supposed. As she made her way to the Great Hall, she spotted a dark-haired girl in the hallway. The odd thing about this girl was that she wasn't walking towards the Hall for the morning meal- she was just sitting on the floor with a journal in hand; quill in fast motion.  
  
Charlotte cautiously made her way towards this strange girl. Who knew? Maybe they would get along... ?  
  
Before Charlotte was even inches away from the girl, something caused her to freeze. When she was able to look up, she saw that the girl had her wand in hand, pointing it threateningly at Charlotte.  
  
"Don't come any closer, Gryffindor," she growled. The girl looked up and snickered. "Not like you can, anyway."  
  
Charlotte whimpered. Her legs were starting to hurt. Was this some sort of freezing spell?  
  
"You got that right, chicken. Little bit of a leg-locker curse, to be honest. Hope you're not hungry. Breakfast will be ending soon," the girl snarled.  
  
"What the heck?" Charlotte thought frantically. "I didn't even say anything to her! And... can she read minds or something? This place is so screwed up!"  
  
"So I'm screwed up?" the girl implied. "Real nice. I suppose being telepathic is nothing compared to a fear of water, 'eh, little chicken?" The girl stood up slowly, brushing herself off. As she did so, Charlotte noticed the badge sewn onto her robes. A Slytherin crest.  
  
"Well," Charlotte thought, "As long as you can read minds, when the hell do you plan on releasing me from that curse? I'd love to move."  
  
"And I'm sure you would. But maybe I should just leave you there. I'm sure you really have nothing better to do."  
  
Charlotte tried forcing out a scream, but it came out muffled. Her mouth, along with her legs, had been stiff for the entire time she was "talking" to this girl. "I didn't even do anything to you! Why'd you curse me?"  
  
The girl laughed and walked down the corridor, leaving Charlotte behind.  
  
"Maybe it was a bad idea to come over to her.... wait a sec, did I just say 'maybe?' And the thing about water... how did she know?" Charlotte thought. She would have slapped herself in the face for thinking such things, but in her current state, movement would be a blessing; something she didn't have. Everything pointed to the obvious.  
  
She stood there in that state of being for quite a while. Charlotte wasn't sure how long exactly, but she did know she was beginning to lose the feeling in her legs. A bell rang that let the students know that breakfast had ended, and they started to make their way out of the Great Hall to get back to their dormitories to get ready for classes.  
  
As more and more students made their way to the exit, a few stopped to stare at Charlotte. Some snickered. Others had horrified looks on their faces. A couple of them laughed aloud and more just did nothing.  
  
"What's she doing there?" someone whispered.  
  
"I don't know. Is she sleeping?"  
  
"No, idiot! Her eyes are open. She's even standing!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah... shut up."  
  
A few moments later, Professor Dumbledore pushed his way to the front of the crowd to see what had happened.  
  
"What in Merlin's name is--" he started, eyes meeting Charlotte in her frozen position. He sighed deeply. "Not again... Everyone, back to your dormitories. Prepare for your classes."  
  
Students groaned as they obeyed Dumbledore's commands. Charlotte wondered, "Again? This happens often?!"  
  
Dumbledore approached Charlotte slowly and muttered something under his breath, pointing his wand at her. In a matter of seconds, Charlotte fell to the ground; she had just been released from the leg-locker. She lifted herself up from the ground and breathed deeply.  
  
"Thank you, Professor," she said. "But what did you mean, 'not again?' This happened before? A lot?"  
  
"We've been having some trouble with some of our third-years, that's all. It's a chain of unfortunate pranks. A little ring of trouble-makers, if you will," he responded. "Who cursed you? Can you describe them at all?"  
  
"I... yeah. She had dark hair, pale skin... She was sitting right there," she described, pointing towards the window and the floor, "And she... I think she could read minds."  
  
Dumbledore sighed again. "Jade Fischer. Lucky you, my dear. You need to keep an eye out for her. I'm afraid I'm going to have to give her another detention. She seems to have quite a few grudges."  
  
"But I did nothing to her!" protested Charlotte. "Nothing at all! I just walked over to her and she--"  
  
"That doesn't matter," Dumbledore interrupted. "She and her 'gang' just seem to do that at random. We could just call you an innocent passerby; it would make no difference."  
  
Dumbledore sent Charlotte back to the dormitory to get her supplies, and to meet him back at his office. They still had things to discuss. Charlotte thought it was a little odd. If this happened a lot, why make a big deal out of it anymore? When she had made her way back to the common room, she said the password rather wearily. Once inside, she was greeted by Luc, Katherine, Kitt, and a few other first years she didn't know.  
  
Kitt seemed exasperated, and this was the state that Charlotte was beginning to get used to seeing her in. "What was that all about?" she exclaimed, obviously just as confused as Charlotte.  
  
"Ugh... Nothing, really. I'm just supposed to be getting my things ready for the first class. Then I have to go to Dumbledore's office. Which really is annoying, since I have no idea where that is," groaned Charlotte. Irritation was kicking in.  
  
"Nothing? You're kidding me. You stood frozen in the hallway for 20 minutes!" Katherine stated loudly.  
  
"Yeah. But you don't have to get into the subject if you don't feel like it," said Luc. Kitt and Katherine both faced him menacingly. He smiled weakly and sat in an armchair in the corner of the common room.  
  
"Well, see you later, then. We... err.. have Potions first. Be prepared," Katherine warned.  
  
"Yeah. Snape's a real catch," added Kitt.  
  
Charlotte sighed deeply and said good-bye, leaving them to go get her things. This was going to be a long day, and it didn't seem like it would get any shorter just to suit her delight.  
  
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A/N: Sorry that it took so long for me to update. I've been really busy lately (and I know you all care so very much), and I just haven't found the time to write a new chapter. My friend Tricia wants to help me write the chappies, so she's going to partner up with me every so often to come up with new plots.  
  
Jade isn't really based on anyone; she's just going to be the fun bully every once in a while. Sarcasm rocks.  
  
Thanks for reading, and REVIEW!  
  
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